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Saturday, April 16, 2011

Here's another survey from some of our favorite romance authors on their most adored movie heroes:

Jerrica Knight-Catania

I know that everyone is always drooling and salivating over Mr. Darcy, especially the Colin Firth version of him. And while I love Colin Firth, I just can't find a place in my heart for Mr. Darcy. Why? Because Mr. Knightly is taking up too much space there. Specifically the Jeremy Northam version. Okay, so his nose is a bit long, and maybe he's a weensie bit short, but I love him. I love the way he scolds Emma for being awful to poor Miss Bates, yet can't help but love her in spite of all her faults. But it was when he danced with Harriet at the ball that I really fell in love with him. Yes, I'm a sucker for a Beta Hero :)

"Han Solo, hands down. How can you resist that rakish charm and the complete change of character by the end of the trilogy. Him or Indiana Jones, smart, capable, ingenious. I could watch Harrison Ford paint a bathroom. Though Liam Neeson as Rob Roy was pretty dang awesome too.

I love old Hollywood movies. In fact, my first published novel, Spyder's Web, has a masquerade party that is very film noir, and a homage to old Hollywood. As a result, most of my favorite actors are from classic movies that have been around for a while.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Today we have two dating lies, neither intended to hurt, one didn’t and the other one did.

Cathy’s story

Please understand I was a very shy, unpopular teenager. I never would have made the first move in any way without encouragement of some kind. I went to a dance at our house of worship. There were a couple of boys from our high school there and I was looking pretty okay. To my surprise two of the boys danced with me all the time. One, Bob, monopolized every fast dance and the other one, Billy, every slow one. (Only my name is changed, theirs are real.)

My shy little head was turned. Several weeks later, our high school was having a Sadie Hawkins Dance, which where the girls invite the boys. After my previous success, I was emboldened. I made up my mind to ask Bob to the Sadie Hawkins Dance. He was a pretty popular guy, involved in school government and seemingly liked by all.

You have no idea how overjoyed I was when he accepted! I couldn’t believe I was going to the dance with Bob. I rarely went to high school dances. I told my small circle of friends and they were excited for me, too.

Two days before the dance, Bob called and told me his parents were making him go to a youth group function at our synagogue so he had to cancel the dance with me. I was upset but told my friends what he told me and accepted it. Of course, it was too late for me to ask Billy who was already going with someone else and I didn’t have the nerve to ask anyone else.

How naïve was I? Plenty! The day after the dance my friends came running to me to inform me Bob had indeed gone to the dance but with Nancy, a beautiful girl much more popular than I. I was devastated, crushed, I wanted to die. I believed him completely, had no idea he was going with Nancy. Nancy, being the nice person she was, never would have asked him if she knew I had. But he lied to me and to her. I discovered exactly what public humiliation in a small town felt like at 14 years old.

Everyone knew the truth. I could hardly drag myself to our small high school Monday after the dance and face people. I stopped speaking to Bob and never asked anyone to a Sadie Hawkins dance again.

Years went by. To shorten the story, let me say I was hitching a ride with Bob’s mother (a friend of my mom) to the train station to go to my brother’s engagement party. I was 21 now and much improved in the looks and style department and dressed to kill for the party.

While I was waiting in her car, who should come up and hop in the backseat? Bob, of course. He climbed in, his face lighting up at seeing me. He couldn’t have been more charming and more interested in me, quietly amazed at my transformation. But sometimes the pain of a lie does not go away. I enjoyed torturing him as much as I could by flirting and shutting him down when he asked me out before I got out of the car.

When someone asks you about revenge, what do you say? I say I would have traded a thousand revenges against Bob to have the shy little teen get her wish and go to the dance with him, even if he was a jerk.

My Story

Sometimes a well-intentioned lie can be a good thing. This happened when I was 25 years old. I don’t remember how I came to have a date with Roger, but right before he was due to pick me up, I had a small accident in my apartment, got stabbed by something metal and had to get it dressed and get a tetanus shot.

I greeted Roger at the door saying I had to go to the emergency room. Many guys would have backed out, made an excuse and taken off, but not Roger. He came with me, sat there with me the whole time, even came into the back room and held my hand when they gave me the shot. I was amazed and almost in love.

Then we went out, several hours after the date was scheduled to begin. We went down to Chinatown, ate dinner and walked around, talking. As sweet as Roger was, it was clear to me he liked me much more than I liked him. There were some things in his life which gave me great pause, like an out-of-wedlock child with a woman he didn’t see anymore and so on.

As sweet as he was, we were not going to be compatible, he was not the one for me and the euphoria of his being so caring wore off quickly. Still, you had to give the man big points for being so supportive.

I had a dilemma. I knew I didn’t want to go out with Roger again, but I didn’t want to hurt him. Every woman knows how a guy hates to call you for a date and get shot down. What to do? I lied. I told him I was looking for a husband because I wanted to get married and have six children right away. I told him I had been in therapy for five years…five days a week. There were other fictions but I those were the most earth-shaking.

I may have laid it on a little thick, but for a good cause, saving Roger’s feelings. He was so polite and nice, he never looked appalled though I could feel his ardor cooling.

I felt good when he took me home. No pass was made, a nice good-bye kiss at the door and Roger was out of there. Of course he never called me again. I will never forget his kindness and felt good I repaid him by saving him a rejection. Not every lie is a bad idea.

TOP ROMANTIC MOVIES

Thank you to all who participated. There were so many different selections, I thought you'd want to see them all, so here they are with the top five that received the most votes first:

Monday, April 11, 2011

The Holiday is my favorite romantic movie because it takes two different quirky couples and puts them in a new environment allowing each to be something they aren't. They're not perfect and learn to respect that finally about themselves.

Latest Book - coming out April 20th Wicked Wager Among Friends - Tales From Lucifer's Lair

If Pride and Prejudice is added, then I insist on mine being the Anne
of Green Gables and Anne of Avonlea series. Why? Because Gilbert goes
through such a beautiful trajectory of initial teasing of Anne,
accepting his crush on the atypical beauty, realizing he would weigh
her down when she breaks his heart, giving her support and love from
afar all during their college and early professional years, to finally
getting the girl when she realizes at last, how important he is to her
when he falls deathly ill. It's so immensely satisfying to me.

Casablanca. I know it's cliche, but it's such a timeless classic. Bogart and Bergman are so beautiful together, and Paul Henreid is gorgeous as Victor Laszo. *swoon* What's not to love?Dark Obsession: http://www.eredsage.com/store/DarkObsession.html

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Adriana Kraft

How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days - love the glitz, huge fan of Kate Hudson, crushed on Matt McConaughey, and love that in the end she sticks to her real values.

My favorite romantic movie is the Holiday with Kate Winslet, Cameron Diaz, Jude Law and Jack Black. I love the way two totally opposite women trade homes to get away from the trials of their lives and end up finding the love they've looked for so long. It's especially meaningful to me since my own true-love came via an internet chat room, and Nigel's also from England like Kate Winslet's character. This movie gives me everything: laughter, tears, and old-fashioned tender romance. If you haven't already seen it, pick up a copy today!

Oh, this is easy. The Quiet Man with John Wayne. If you've ever seen E.T. you know why. I mean it even inspired a little boy to grab his classmate in the midst of releasing all those frogs and kiss her. WOW, talk about a kiss scene when John Wayne grabs Maureen O'hara and kisses her.

Brigadoon, hands down. Brigadoon is the ultimate sweet romance written in 3 acts.

Tommy (who doesn't like Gene Kelly?) felt something was missing in his life; hence, he traveled to foreign lands looking for adventure. In this case, hunting in Scotland. He even has a sidekick, Jeff (Van Johnson), who is a screw-up lush.

They're put in an unusual situation ("verra strange indeed.") and in the context of being away from the life he is unsatisfied with, Tommy falls in love. You have mystery (the 100 years thing), danger (Harry Beaton), suspense (the chase and death of HB), and then....

A choice must be made. If Tommy stays in the village with the woman he loves, he will be under the spell to only wake up once every 100 years. And he will never be able to leave, so must give up the life he finds unsatisfying...but that unsatisfying life is also comfortably familiar. Risk it all for love? Or give up love for the familiar?

He makes the wrong choice...but when he realizes he "canna get Fiona out of my mind," and travels back to Scotland, his love for her is so strong, he awakens the village long enough for him to join them.

"Gone With The Wind" - Because Scarlett O'Hara is a fighter and a survivor who meets her match in Rhett Butler. She didn't wait for life to happen around her; she made her own life and fortune. I also believe she and Rhett were made for each other, and that in the end he returns to her because he simply can't stay away. We just don't get to see it because it happens after you turn the last page. I have faith. After all, as Scarlett thought, tomorrow is another day.

The (more recent) version of The Count of Monte Christo. Jim Caviezel and Henry Cavill in one movie!? Sigh…Actually, I love the Count's story. Such a unique story line and he's allll alpha. I love me some alpha!

For me it would have to be Practical Magic. I love the dynamics of the sisters and the chemistry between all the characters from the venomous half dead boyfriend to the crazy witch aunts. And the spells...love the spells.

…it's a toss up between A Walk to Remember and She's the Man. A Walk to Remember is just heartbreaking. But seeing the MCs get together even though Jamie (main girl played by Mandy Moore) sick/dying was heart wrenching.

And well, She's the Man is hilarious, but it's cute to watch Amanda Bynes (who's pretending to be a guy in order to play soccer) try not to act like she's falling in love with one of the guys on her team who she shares a dorm room with!

Love Actually, especially the Colin Firth story line. I love how they connect, even though they can’t understand each other. Yet true love doesn’t require words.

French Kiss, I love how both Meg Ryan’s and Kevin Kline’s characters transform.

You’ve Got Mail, There are so many good quotes in this movie, except maybe the last line. “I wanted it to be you so badly.” But only because my husband repeats it nine thousand times in a snivly voice whenever we watch the movie.

Shop Around the Corner, the movie You’ve Got Mail was based on. Jimmy Stewart is so dreamy.

Okay, now it's time for my choice. I have two:While You Were Sleeping an amazing love story where a lonely girl with no one falls in love with a man and his family and they all fall in love with her. Sandra Bullock is amazing. I never get tired of this one.Serendipity with John Cusack. A wonderful story keeps you guessing, hoping for the lovers to find each other again. Never tire of this one either.Sunny Days/Moonlit Nightshttp://www.astraeapress.com

SO NOW WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ROMANTIC MOVIE?

"Vote" for your favorite listed here or your own choice by leaving the title in a comment, explanations of your preference are welcome but not required. I'll post the movies receiving the most votes tomorrow afternoon.

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Here is my entry for today. Hope you enjoy this snippet and leave a comment afterward. Thank you for stopping by.

“Towel!” she hollered, covering herself as best she could with
her hands and arms. After studying her body briefly, he looked
away then threw her a towel, went over to the water controls and
turned off the hot and cold water. Caroline covered herself with the skimpy towel and stared at the man. He was in his thirties,
handsome with dark brown hair, light brown eyes, a slightly square
jaw, one day’s growth of beard and over six feet tall with a slim,
strong build.
“You need a new spigot. There might be one in the shed good
enough to hold for today, but tomorrow you should stop by the
hardware store and pick up a new one,” he told her.
There was something about his voice, something she
recognized. Caroline stared at his face, peering into his eyes…those eyes seemed familiar. She gasped.
“Mickey, is that you?”

Here is a short synopsis:

Caroline Davis White is a well-known artist married to a philandering multi-millionaire. She has everything any woman could wish for except love. Brad refuses to give her the divorce she so desperately wants. With no money, family, or friends, she flees to the small community in Catskill Mountains where she spent her summers as a child.

Mike Foster, Caroline’s childhood crush grown up, achieved success and made more money than he could ever have dreamed, but it destroyed his marriage and cost him his son. He is wary of women who find his wallet more attractive than his good looks.

Caroline reconnects with the life she had and friends from long ago. Mike steps out of her teenage dreams into her life again, looking more handsome and tempting than ever. She knew who he was then…but who is he now?